Invitations
On bright colored paper, place pictures of Dora and the other characters. Write “Are you ready to explore? Come to (child’s name) Dora the Explorer party. Where are we going? (child’s name) house. Who do we ask when we don’t know which way to go? Map! Draw a simple map to your house. Mark an X where you live.) First we go to (list a place in your area like a restaurant or school before getting to your house). See you at the party on (date and time) at (your address).”
Decorations
Purchase purple, orange and yellow balloons and green streamers and some Mylar balloons. Tie balloons to your mailbox. Place green streamers from your trees. Place a sign on your door that says “Hola! Welcome to (child’s name) Dora the Explorer birthday party. Place images of Dora and the other characters on the sign. Tape balloons on the door.
Turn the party area into the “Spooky Forest” by hanging green streamers from the ceiling and placing plants around the room. Cut pieces of grey felt to look like stones and place them on the floor to look like the Puzzle Bridge. Take a large box and paint it to look like Dora’s Casa. Hang posters of Dora and the other characters on the wall. Also, hang maps and pictures of safari animals on the wall.
For the table, use purple, orange and yellow tablecloths, plates, cups, napkins and silverware. For the centerpiece, create “Lollipop Forest” by placing lollipops in cups or small jars and tying pretty ribbon around them. You can also buy styrofoam balls and stick Blow Pops in them. (Make sure to cover the whole ball—they come out quite pretty). When done, stick a small dowel in the ball and stick the lollipop ball in a jar or vase. Place a piece of styrofoam in the vase to keep it in place.
Games and Activities
Make your own Dora Adventure.
Create maps and a few destinations, like Dora’s House, Grumpy Old Troll's bridge, Rainbow Tunnel and Treasure Chest. Make Dora’s House out of a cardboard that they can color. Use a box or table for Grumpy Old Troll's bridge and have an adult play Grumpy Old Troll. Make Rainbow Tunnel out of an appliance box and paint it to look like a rainbow. Or you can use a rainbow-striped tablecloth that reaches the floor on both sides. Make a treasure chest for the end of the adventure and fill it with goody bags. You can give out backpacks for this activity or use small purple bags and decorate them to look like backpack.
Get the kids together for their adventure and ask, "What do we need for our adventure"? They should reply, “Backpack"! Hand out backpacks or small purple gift bags. Ask them, “Who do we need when we don’t know which way to go”? They should reply, "Map"! Pass out the maps. Tell them, "Don't forget to keep your eye out for Swiper and yell ‘Swiper.'" Move on to Dora’s house and ask the kids to help you color the house. Ask them, "Is there anything in your backpack we can use to color Dora's house?" Let them search their bags for their crayons. When they’re finished coloring the house, move on to Rainbow Tunnel. Ask them, "What can we use to keep our eye out for swiper?" Let them search their bags for binoculars. Along the way someone shouts, "Swiper!" Have a plush Swiper or a picture or cutout hiding in a tree, behind a bush, etc. When they kids spot Swiper, they all do the chant, "Swiper no swipping, etc.” Swiper is holding a pair of plastic keys. Take them from him and go on your way.
On your way to Rainbow Tunnel, you run into Grumpy Old Troll's bridge and he won’t let you through unless you solve the riddle.
The riddle is “what makes a loud sound when you blow into it”. The answer is a whistle. Let them search for the whistles in their bags.
When you reach Rainbow Tunnel, say, "It's dark in Rainbow Tunnel. What can we use to help us see?" Let them search for mini flashlights. Have them turn on their flashlights and crawl through the tunnel. At the end of Rainbow Tunnel is a treasure chest. Ask, "What can we use to open the treasure chest?" Response, "Keys!" Use the keys you took back from Swiper. "Open" the treasure chest to reveal your goody bags, prizes, etc. You can alter this adventure in many ways. If you watch the show you can use different areas or different endings. Whatever you would like, and use different "tools" for the kids to use along the way.
Catch the Stars
Cut out paper stars and place them on the walls and hide them around the room. Have the kids “catch” the stars. You can also hand out toy magnifying glasses to help them find the stars.
Hot Backpack
Play like Hot Potato. Place small trinkets (1 for each child) in a backpack. Have the kids sit in a circle and give one of the kids the backpack. When you start playing music, the kids pass the backpack around. When you stop the music, the child who is holding the bag takes out a trinket and leaves the game. Play until all the kids receives a trinket.
Pin the Headband on Dora
Enlarge a photo of Dora and place a paper headband on her. Cut out headbands from construction paper. Write the kids’ names on them and add double-sided tae on the backs. When it’s their turn, place a blindfold on the child, turn them around a few times and let them pin the headband. Whoever pins their headband closest to the original wins.
Binoculars Craft
Have the kids tape two rolls of toilet paper (or one paper towel roll cut in half) together. Cover the ends with plastic wrap. Then secure them with rubber bands. Let them decorate them with markers or crayons and stickers. Add ribbon to the ends so the kids can wear them. These can be used if you have a Dora adventure planned.
Maracas Craft
Give out paper rolls, markers or crayons and stickers. Have the kids decorate the rolls. Add tape to one side, let them add dried beans and then secure the other side with tape.
Decorate Foam Visors
Purchase foam visors and decorate with fun foam stickers.
Dora Friendship Bracelets
Give the kids beads and elastic string.
Party Food
Sandwiches cut with star-shaped cookie cutters. Cookies cut with the same cutters. You can add faces with an icing pen.
Chicken or cheese quesadillas. Or create a taco bar with taco flavored ground beef, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, shredded cheese, sour cream and taco shells.
Party Favors
Purchase small backpacks or drawstring bags. You can also use purple gift bags and decorate them like Dora’s backpack.
Dora toys, Dora coloring books or coloring pages and crayons, Dora storybooks, Dora puzzles, mini binoculars, a compass, a whistle, a mini flashlight, a magnifying glass.
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